Year Up Professional Resources
YUPRO Placement is a skills-first U.S. staffing and apprenticeship firm that operates a proprietary marketplace of 275,000+ vetted professionals from non-traditional backgrounds, serving mid-market and enterprise employers through contract-to-hire, apprenticeship, direct hire, and MSP specialty staffing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Year Up Professional Resources does
YUPRO Placement (formerly Year Up Professional Resources) is a skills-first talent placement firm operating as a Public Benefit Corporation and wholly owned for-profit subsidiary of nonprofit Year Up United, Inc. Founded in 2014 by Gerald Chertavian and headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company connects U.S. mid-market and enterprise employers with skilled professionals from non-traditional backgrounds through a proprietary nationwide talent marketplace of more than 275,000 candidates sourced from over 20 non-profit training provider partners including NPower, Per Scholas, AllStarCode, Genesys Works, Hack Diversity, Climb Hire, and Year Up United alumni. Core service lines are Contract-to-Hire staffing, the Skills-to-Staff Professional Apprenticeship program, Internship Administration, Skills-First Direct Hire permanent placement, and specialty staffing inside Managed Service Provider (MSP) programs.
The underlying technology combines proprietary skills assessment, behavioral interviewing techniques, and curated candidate matching against a Hire-Grow-Advance framework (Hire, Grow, Advance), with credentialing content delivered through partnerships with IBM SkillsBuild, Google Career Certificates, and Cisco Networking Academy. Revenue is generated on a managed services basis: YUPRO acts as Employer of Record for apprentices, managing payroll, taxes, compliance, and benefits, and charges employers per-apprentice or per-placement fees for contract-to-hire, direct hire, apprenticeship management, internship administration, and MSP specialty engagements. Distribution is hybrid, combining direct enterprise sales through Staffing Consultants and Client Delivery Managers with channel partnerships through MSPs and a training provider network that supplies pre-vetted candidates. The company also operates a free public job board at jobs.yupro.com, free upskilling courses, monthly jobseeker workshops, and thought-leadership content through the Teams by Intent Podcast. Reported growth metrics include a 44% compound annual growth rate between 2017 and 2021, a $23.8 million revenue gain in 2021, 230% revenue growth in 2022, and consecutive recognition on SIA's Fastest-Growing Staffing Firms list from 2021 through 2025.
The customer base is concentrated in financial services, insurance, technology, manufacturing, biotech, consumer goods, telecom, pharmaceuticals, and media, with named enterprise relationships including Prudential Financial (since 2020) and multiple Fortune 500 engagements. Leadership is led by CEO Michelle Sims (since March 2020), COO Rocki Howard, Chief Delivery Officer Katie Breault, and Chairperson Andrew Cousin.
Year Up Professional Resources firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Year Up Professional Resources
- Legal name
- Year Up Professional Resources, PBC
- Website
- https://yupro.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- YUPRO Placement is a skills-first U.S. staffing and apprenticeship firm that operates a proprietary marketplace of 275,000+ vetted professionals from non-traditional backgrounds, serving mid-market and enterprise employers through contract-to-hire, apprenticeship, direct hire, and MSP specialty staffing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Year Up Professional Resources industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Staffing and Recruiting Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Campus / Early Careers RPO (BPACABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Interviewing & Selection Skills (Behavioral, Technical, Assessment Centers) (EDAAAKAD), Resume & Professional Branding (CV, LinkedIn, Portfolio) (EDAAAKAB)
Keywords
Where Year Up Professional Resources is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Year Up Professional Resources business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Staffing and Placement Services: YUPRO Placement generates revenue through contract-to-hire, apprenticeship management, internship administration, direct hire, and MSP specialty staffing services. The company acts as the Employer of Record for apprentices, managing payroll, taxes, compliance, and benefits while charging employers a per-apprentice or placement fee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Per Apprentice Fee Model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Year Up Professional Resources product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Year Up Professional Resources (YUPRO Placement) is a skills-first talent placement firm that connects mid-market and Fortune 500 employers with overlooked, job-ready professionals from non-traditional backgrounds. Its core offerings include contract-to-hire staffing, a registered-style Skills-to-Staff Professional Apprenticeship program managed as Employer of Record, internship administration, skills-first direct hire, and MSP specialty staffing, all powered by a proprietary nationwide talent marketplace of 275k+ candidates sourced from 20+ non-profit training providers.
Product overview
YUPRO Placement operates as a skills-first talent placement and workforce solutions platform. The core offering centers on the Untapped Skilled Professional Talent Marketplace, a proprietary nationwide database of 275k+ skilled candidates, powered by a network of non-profit training provider partners. This platform feeds into five primary service lines: Contract-to-Hire staffing, Skills-to-Staff Professional Apprenticeship (an informal apprenticeship program with employer-of-record services, upskilling, and coaching), Internship Administration, Skills-First Direct Hire permanent placement, and MSP Staffing. These services are complemented by a Skills-Based Hiring Hub providing advisory resources and templates, free upskilling courses (Google, IBM, Cisco certifications), monthly jobseeker workshops, and social support services including peer counseling and access to 875+ social care resources. The company also produces thought leadership content through the Teams by Intent Podcast and maintains a public free job board at jobs.yupro.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Contract-to-Hire Staffing
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% assignment completion rate (vs. 68% national average)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Year Up Professional Resources
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Year Up Professional Resources technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Year Up Professional Resources partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SkillStormminorPartnership announced January 2026 to empower veterans in cyber and cloud careers through combined workforce development and placement services.
- NPowercorePartnership announced October 2025 for turnkey cybersecurity and cloud computing apprenticeships, expanding YUPRO's technical training offerings through NPower's established programs.
- Franklin SkillsminorLaunched SKILLSFIT in August 2025 to deliver job-ready IT talent and fill urgent skills gaps through combined assessment and training programs.
- Merit AmericaminorPartnership announced November 2023 to transform workforce through skills-based hiring and career advancement, combining Merit America's workforce training with YUPRO's placement services.
- IBM SkillsBuildcoreYUPRO Placement is an IBM SkillsBuild partner, joining the mission to upskill 30 million people by 2030. Apprentices can earn IBM Professional Certificates in cybersecurity analysis, data analytics, agile practices, and AI fundamentals.
- Grow with Google (Google Career Certificates)coreYUPRO talent access industry-recognized Google Career Certificates in digital marketing, IT support, data analytics, IT automation, project management, and UX design. The partnership combines Google certificates with YUPRO's work-based learning programs.
- Cisco Networking AcademycorePartnership provides YUPRO talent access to Cisco Academy certifications including CompTIA Security+, Cisco Certified Support Technician, and Fortinet Network Security Expert credentials.
- SymbaminorTechnology partnership supporting apprenticeship program management and learning community platform for YUPRO apprentices.
- findhelp.orgminorPartner that helps YUPRO talent community access 875+ free and reduced-cost resources for transit, housing, food, legal, health, and more.
- Empower WorkminorProvides peer counseling to support mental wellness at work for YUPRO talent through the partnership with YUPRO's end-to-end support services.
- Grateful (501c3)minorPartnership to amplify positive impact through charitable giving. YUPRO has supported 250+ non-profits through this initiative and extended charitable giving cards to employees, clients, and partners.
- Year Up UnitedcoreParent company (501c3 nonprofit) that founded YUPRO Placement in 2014. YUPRO Placement supports Year Up United Alumni and other nonprofit organization talent in securing jobs with fair market wages and career mobility. Gerald Chertavian founded both organizations.
- Training Provider Partner NetworkcoreNetwork of 20+ non-profit training provider partners sourcing talent for YUPRO's marketplace. Partners include AllStarCode, NPower, Per Scholas, Genesys Works, Hack Diversity, Climb Hire, Seattle Central College, and others. YUPRO donates a percentage of placement proceeds back to partner organizations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Year Up Professional Resources competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SkillStorm: IT staffing and apprenticeship firm focused on technology talent, including a recently announced partnership with YUPRO Placement to place veterans in cyber and cloud roles. Directly comparable because it competes for the same enterprise IT staffing wallet with apprenticeship-led delivery.
- Apprenti: Tech apprenticeship and staffing provider that places apprentices into technology roles at large employers. Comparable as a direct competitor in the IT/tech apprenticeship segment that YUPRO's Skills-to-Staff™ program targets.
- Generation USA: Workforce development nonprofit that trains and places job seekers into careers across IT, healthcare, and skilled trades. Highly comparable mission and operating model to YUPRO's training-partner-and-placement flywheel.
- NPower: Nonprofit technology workforce training organization and YUPRO training partner that prepares veterans and young adults for IT careers. Comparable as both a sourcing partner and a parallel operator in the same talent pool.
- Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing free IT training and career placement, listed as a YUPRO training provider partner. Comparable because it competes and partners in the same skills-first IT talent pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Robert Half: Large publicly traded staffing firm spanning finance, technology, legal, and administrative staffing. Comparable as a broad incumbent that competes for the same Fortune 500 contingent and direct-hire budget lines.
- Randstad: Global staffing and HR services leader with deep MSP/VMS incumbency and growing investments in skills-based hiring. Comparable as the largest incumbent YUPRO encounters inside enterprise MSP programs.
- Adecco Group: Global staffing and workforce solutions major with significant presence in MSP staffing and diversity supplier programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise staffing channels.
- ManpowerGroup: Global workforce solutions company operating MSP/RPO programs and actively promoting skills-based hiring. Comparable as a broad incumbent that YUPRO may displace or complement inside enterprise MSP deals.
Emerging players
- Eightfold AI: Talent intelligence platform using AI for skills matching, workforce planning, and skills-based hiring at enterprise scale. Comparable as an emerging technology player whose skills-assessment capabilities may compete with or complement YUPRO's proprietary matching stack.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Year Up Professional Resources social profiles
Digital presenceYear Up Professional Resources compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Year Up Professional Resources financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Year Up Professional Resources leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Year Up Professional Resources funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Year Up Professional Resources M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Year Up Professional Resources
What does Year Up Professional Resources do?
Year Up Professional Resources (YUPRO Placement) is a skills-first talent placement firm that connects mid-market and Fortune 500 employers with overlooked, job-ready professionals from non-traditional backgrounds. Its core offerings include contract-to-hire staffing, a registered-style Skills-to-Staff Professional Apprenticeship program managed as Employer of Record, internship administration, skills-first direct hire, and MSP specialty staffing, all powered by a proprietary nationwide talent marketplace of 275k+ candidates sourced from 20+ non-profit training providers.
Is Year Up Professional Resources a public or private company?
Year Up Professional Resources is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Year Up Professional Resources founded?
Year Up Professional Resources was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Year Up Professional Resources based?
Year Up Professional Resources is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Year Up Professional Resources make money?
One revenue line is on record: staffing and Placement Services.
Who are Year Up Professional Resources's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SkillStorm, Apprenti, Generation USA, NPower and Per Scholas. Broad incumbents are Robert Half, Randstad, Adecco Group and ManpowerGroup. Eightfold AI is listed as an emerging player.
Does Year Up Professional Resources have an API?
No public API is recorded for Year Up Professional Resources.
What industry is Year Up Professional Resources in?
Year Up Professional Resources's product category is Staffing and Recruiting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACABAJ, Campus / Early Careers RPO, with a secondary code of EDAAAOAE, Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.